France's favourite personalities

Each year at this time the weekly "Journal du Dimanche" (JDD) publishes the results of a survey it does into the personalities the French people prefer. For some years now the singer/songwriter Jean-Jacques Goldman has topped the list and as last year he was followed by actor Omar Sy with Dany Boon climbing one place to third. Making a starring debut at fourth place is World Cup footballer Kylian Mbappe, followed the astronaut Thomas Pesquet and Zinedine Zidane.
Notably there are no women in the top 10, in fact best placed is Sophie Marceau at 16th (down 11 places).
Amongst women asked, the top two remain the same with a rapper called Soprano third. Men chose Goldman and Sy, but then Zidane and Mbappe. Although the paper asked people from different political persuasions for their favourites (LREM voters put Macron first...the only politician to top any group), there appears to be no split by ages, which would be interesting.

PACS at the mairie

The French equivalent of civil partnerships called "le Pacte Civile de Solidarité" or PACS is 18 years old this year and normally couples wishing to Pacser must apply to the tribunal d'instance responsible for their department. From 1st November the responsibility is transferred to local Mairies. This brings it into line with marriages, which must all be celebrated at the mairie.
Couples applying for PACS are reminded that they should prepare an agreement and provide various documents, so presumably it will still be necessary to involve a notaire or avocat.
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No more carte grise at the Prefecture

From 1st November the prefecture in Rodez will no longer deal with immatriculations of vehicles or permis de conduire and certain other documents. As the sous-prefectures have already closed their "guichets" the only methods available will be via authorised agents (often garages) or on-line. Using an agency will cost 30€ plus any taxes or fees, though on-line remains free. This is part of the government's drive to "streamline" public services, which led yesterday (Tuesday 11th October) to many marches and demonstrations against this policy.
We have no news about other departments, but they will surely follow. We recently transferred ownership of a car entirely on-line without too much hassle, saving a trip to Montauban - always worthwhile.
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Reports of death "exaggerated"

Famously Mark Twain said press reports of his death were exaggerated, but for an Albi man when the police said he was dead it led to more serious consequences. Pension payments suspended; bank account frozen; driving licence invalid; the whole panoply of administrative nightmares kicked in.
In fact Louis Palacios had allowed a homeless man to live in his caravan for some years and when his lifeless body was found neighbours assumed it was Louis and the police declared him to be deceased.
Now the late M Palacios has to go to court to overturn the death certificate, but it takes time and meantime he  has to try to get by pretending to be alive.
You may find that media reports of deaths are not always correct (the boulanger lives on) but if the police say you are dead - you are!
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"Cousinade" explained

Last weekend Laguepie was littered with little orange arrows labelled "Cousinade", and pointing to the Escale Guepienne, a new name for the riverside complex previously used for colonies de vacance, the port nautique.
We and most of our compatriots had no idea what it meant. Was it to do with cooking? Perhaps sewing? No, it was more simple and heart-warming than that. A walk by the Aveyron revealed that people had come from far and wide to meet - their cousins. The family Roumiguieres were having a family get together and over 100 scions of the family, from 6 months old to 90 years young were there. What a great idea for the Pentecost weekend.
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Last news at 8

David Pujadas

We have covered the France 2 News at Eight presenter David Pujadas because he owns a family house in Najac. But to French viewers he has the gravitas of a Huw Edwards or even David Dimbleby on election nights. But last night (Thursday 8th June) was the last appearance of M Pujadas on the flagship news programme.
There is a renewal of personnel at France TV with the flagship breakfast presenter also retiring at the start of the summer holidays. William Leymergie has presented Telematin for 32 years, but at 70 is now leaving, though he will join a news channel called C8.

The changes will mark a new direction for France 2, though management is at pains to point out that the spirit of the programmes will remain.
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First French election win in 60 years

photo Ted Aljibe/AFP

On a day when the French socialist party turned the clock back in electing a "hard left" leader, it was pleasing to see that one young French woman has captured a title last won in 1953.
Iris Mittenaere, a 24 year old dental student from Lille was chosen as Miss Universe.
The competition was held in Manila, Philippines, and Iris was chosen from 86 contestants.
The "miss" elections seem to have died out in the UK, but regularly make the headlines here in France.
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Toulouse good for jobs, but

A weekly magazine, L'Express, publishes lists of various aspects of French life and its annual study of the best cities in which to live shows that Toulouse is fifth best place to find work. However the study measures other aspects, such as quality of life, access to culture, good schools and universities, transport links etc, and here la ville rose slumped to 30th place.
The large metropolises are judged best for employment but the smaller cities are better at offering a better quality of life. Thus Limoges was in third place and Albi fourth. Living as we do in a very rural area we often feel the lack of amenities such as transport and culture, but the quality of life in our small villages makes up for a lot.
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You have been missing things

The sub-editor's laptop has been "hors de combat" since before Christmas, so all those useful items on French life have been replaced by chapatti-munching donkeys and the like.
Back on line today and watch out for such vital information as this. If you are planning having a baby this year (at least one reader is), or perhaps a grandchild, the list of the most popular first names in the region has just been published.
For girls it is Emma which leads the way (up two places from 2015), then Alice, Louise, Léa, Jade, Chloé, Juliette, Léna, Lucie and Lou. The last two making their first appearance, replacing Anna and Mila. The little French girls of our acquaintance are called Hannah, Liv, Ayla and Maya - none from the top 10.
For boys Louis, Gabriel, Jules, Arthur, Lucas, Raphael, Hugo, Nathan, Léo and Ethan. We don't know any little boys but wonder if any twins born this year will be called Léo and Léa, both top 10 names.
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BAC 2016: is it too hard?

Students have been complaining that some of the papers are too hard. To make things worse the Ministry of Education pointed out that a printing error in the maths paper made one question impossible.
In the French paper they were asked to comment on Anatole France's work; they did not have to have studied the works of the Edwardian period author, but comment on a text. Many could not decide whether Anatole France's gender influenced the opinion as they had no idea if the author was a man or woman. One student commented that "Anatole - France" sounded like a football match.
The English comprehension passage described Manhattan in the pre-WWI era. Students were asked to say in which city the events took place and describe how it has changed in the time since. The problems were that the passage contained many architectural words and although they were not being asked for a translation many students could not understand. Nor did many know that Manhattan is in New York, United States.
An on-line petition has been set up to call for the cancellation of the paper.
One teacher was amazed that they could watch "CSI Manhattan" and not grasp that it was set in NY.
French lyceens have been protesting against the new labour laws - perhaps a bit more time studying might have helped - or is that just old-fogeyness?
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How many "bise"? This is funny.

We are all perplexed from time to time by how many "bisous", who to greet with a kiss, do men kiss other men, and how long it takes to greet a group of friends when bises all round  are called for.
English comedian Paul Taylor, sometime resident of Paris, has made a very funny film on this dilemma, which is extremely popular on YouTube.
Try the link below for a witty exposition of the situation

http://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/europe/video-l-art-complique-de-la-bise-a-la-francaise_1255505.html

School uniform: yes or no?

One of the education reforms stemming from the May 1968 disturbances was the pretty universal abandonment of school uniforms. Since then only a handful of state schools and private establishments have adopted what in Britain is still very common, the wearing of uniforms.
The College Pierre Fermat is one of Toulouse's oldest schools and when in 2014 parents were asked if a return to uniforms was desirable over two thirds voted yes (we dont know if the pupils were asked). The thinking was to get away from the "tyranny of brands" and afford parents equal expenditure, as well as promoting a sense of identity and belonging.. Now a new school director has shelved the idea stating the consultation is not binding - a "soixante-huiter" perhaps?
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Syrian immigrant makes good

We are used to seeing stories about poor immigrants and how France is not receptive to entrepreneurs, but the story of Mohed Altrad shows how a poor orphan from the Syrian desert has become one of the country's most successful businessmen.
Chances are that if you have a cement mixer, or a wheelbarrow or scaffolding it was made by Altrad Group. Altrad defied his grandmother in northern Syria to pursue his schooling and at 17 got an engineering scholarship to France. He worked with Alcatel and Thomson before setting up his own business, eventually buying nearly a bankrupt scaffolding company which over the following 30 years he has built into a 1 billion euro business, employing over 7000 people, mainly here in France.
As his "thanks" to the city of Montpellier he bought its rugby club from the commune for 2.4 billion euros - and aims to make it as successful as Toulon or Toulouse.
He was elected world entrepreneur of the year by judges of the Ernst Young prize, ahead of 65 others.

A spring dish totally French.

Lardons, boiled egg, potatoes and respountchous  ( spelt the occitane way) and yes we came back for seconds. It has got to be the way they are cooked. Today we had a lovely French lunch with lovely French people. Marie Pierre who has become a TAG reader, works at Airbus in Toulouse and came to her parents this week end. Guess where her parents live? In Varen. We laughed when she said that she gets Varen and French news from an English blog.
What a warm welcome we had, with wonderful food and stories about our neighbours past and present. Please thank your parents and thank you Marie Pierre, we will see you next visit at Mas del Sol and brushing donkeys will be on the agenda.
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Fine for boulangers

We commented a few weeks ago about a boulanger (baker) being prosecuted for opening seven days a week. In Foix this week the courts condemned 5 bakery groups to fines up to 20000 euros, including costs, for not having a "fermeture hebdomadaire" (closing day).
One can understand our local artisan boulangers needing a day off, but these larger companies with extra staff can open and provide a service to their various outlets. But the shop must close once a week - or cop a fine for each offence.
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Please explain

The Ecole Normale Superieure (ENS) is France's elite educational establishment, attended by most of the country's leaders,  political, administrative and commercial. Its admission standards are very high and potential students must sit long entrance examinations. The philosophy paper, with 6 hours to complete, had as its subject the single word "Explain" (Expliquer).
The paper also warned that the use of calculators was forbidden.
Ideal for potential politicians who seem able to explain everything, without convincing anybody.
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Pierre Soulages honoured

What have journalist Ann Sinclair and painter Pierre Soulages have in common? They are both among the people named in the Easter list of new members of the Légion d'Honneur, France's system of recognising merit.
Inaugurated by Napoleon in 1802 there are currently about 92000 members in four grades. Ann Sinclair is the editor of the French version of the Huffington Post, an on-line newspaper, and sadly famous as the ex-wife of DSK (therefore deserving of all honours and sympathy). Pierre Soulages is the 95 year old painter whose work can be seen in the eponymous museum/gallery in Rodez. He was raised to the "grand'croix" , the highest grade.
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What happened with our HyperU?

For years we were faithful to the HyperU in Villefranche. Admittedly it was largely because it was the most convenient to get to from our home; but for the "big shop" we all need from time to time it met our needs. Then one day (January 1st 2015) it became a Carrefour and one wonders how that can be. Most big hyper and supermarkets are franchises, allying the owner to a major distributer for supply and marketing support. But unlike Leclerc and Carrefour the SystemU owners remain fully independent, with no particular binding contract, which allows them to walk away when it suits them.
The company has signed agreements with Auchan for joint buying and distribution which could mean more changes to the "pavillon", and the independent owners are not happy about it.
It seems that the direction of SystemU would like to bind their partners to a more formal arrangement, going against the ethos of "independents". Whatever, it is clear that the desires of the owners come ahead of that of the customers
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Is it just me?

Maths is not my strong point, says Malc, but when the Ministry of Education said in a report that two thirds of candidates were below the average in maths exams I wondered how the average was calculated and if the Ministry's grasp of maths was as questionable as mine. It actually meant, apparently that these candidates had failed to score 10/20 (the normal French marking system is based on 20 as the top mark). To my thinking 10 is 50%, not the average, but half marks.
It would be a sad commentary on maths education if there was such a wide gap in achievement. Given that nonetheless 84% actually passed  the brevet as a result of course work taken into account it makes you wonder why bother with the exams.
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Marry one, get one free

A young man married his girl friend in a civil ceremony in Haute Savoie, nothing amiss there. But apparently in France the mairie sends the marriage details to the commune where the partners were born to have their birth certificates noted. So far so good. But Fanny and her husband want to have a religious ceremony this year and so she applied for a copy of the acte de naissance but was surprised to see it was her twin sister Lucie who was noted as married to her husband. So now Fanny is living with her husband who is legally married to her sister Lucie.
The authorities are sympathetic, but explain that it cannot be corrected with a bit of SnoPake, it must be considered by the procureur of the region and could take any where from a month to a year. So both sisters are obliged to suspend marriage plans until the mix up is sorted. Lucie joked that her brother-in-law had got two wives for the price of one.
Val says only in  France could bureaucracy be taken to these levels.
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